Trumpet Master Terence Blanchard Teaming with UH Jazz Orchestra

Terence
Blanchard has contributed his musical talents to acclaimed film scores,
award-winning recordings and awe-inspiring live performances. Next up on the veteran
jazz trumpeter’s busy schedule is a visit to the University of Houston.

Blanchard
will perform alongside the UH Jazz Orchestra at 7:30 p.m., Nov. 15 in UH’s
Moores Opera House (Entrance 16 off Cullen Boulevard). Tickets are $12 and $7
for students and seniors. They can be purchased at the Moores School of Music’s box office
site or by calling
713-743-3313.

Blanchard
will be on campus Nov. 11 – 15 rehearsing with the Jazz Orchestra. At 1 p.m.,
Nov. 14, he will host a composer’s forum in Room 145 of the Moores School of
Music.

Born
in New Orleans, Blanchard learned his craft alongside friend and fellow trumpeter
Wynton Marsalis. In high school, he honed his skills at the New Orleans Center
for Creative Arts and later studied at Rutgers University. While at Rutgers, he
toured as part of Lionel Hampton’s orchestra. Later, he would join Art
Blakely’s Jazz Messengers and co-found the Harrison/Blanchard Group with
saxophonist Donald Harrison.

In
the early 1990s, Blanchard embarked on a prolific solo recording career and
found another musical calling as a composer of film scores. Blanchard has
performed on and composed the scores for the bulk of Spike Lee’s films and
documentaries (“Jungle Fever,” “Malcolm X,” “Crooklyn,” “Clockers,” “When the
Levees Broke”).

His
recent projects include his first opera commission, “Champion” and recent LP,
“Magnetic.”

UH’s
jazz program is directed by Noe Marmolejo and Ryan Gabbart, assistant director.
As part of the Moores School of Music, the program continues to bring top
performers to campus. In addition to residencies and concerts, the program
hosts the Moores Jazz Festival each spring. Artists who have performed alongside
UH jazz students include the Count Basie Orchestra, Michael Brecker, Bill Evans,
Andy Martin, Lew Soloff and Randy Brecker. For more details on the festival and UH’s jazz studies
program, visit http://uhjazz.com/.